Committee approves redistricting standards

ATLANTA - A Senate committee approved legislation Monday that sets standards for future redistricting efforts, and promised to produce new maps drawn to those standards in about three weeks.

Gov. Sonny Perdue's Senate floor leader, Republican Bill Stephens of Canton, said the bill would prohibit bizarre-shaped districts and would prevent counties and communities from being split for political reasons.

States must redraw election districts after every census to reflect population changes.The maps used in the last election were drawn two years ago when Democrats controlled both houses. Democrats acknowledged they designed the districts to boost their own party's candidates at the expense of Republicans.

In the House, still under Democratic control, legislative leaders have avoided saying they will block the Republican-led Senate plan.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Price of Roswell said he was hopeful for quick passage in both houses.

''The Senate will treat the plan openly and move it through quickly and hopefully so will the House,'' Price said. ''I do know the citizens of Georgia spoke loudly and deliberately in the November elections and it's time for us to listen to them.''